Many people in our market are curious about whether working with a discount brokerage is a wise choice to make. After all, if you can meet their real estate goals at a discount, why wouldn’t you go for it?
Unfortunately, there’s truth in the saying, “You get what you pay for.” The lower commission fee actually comes at a steep cost. Agents at a traditional brokerage tend to have much more experience (and much more knowledge) than those at a discount brokerage. Think of the slightly higher commission fee at a traditional brokerage as an investment in your own success.
Sometimes, people who list with a discount brokerage won’t be able to sell at all. This was the case for one client our team took on earlier this year. After partnering with us, this client received multiple offers right out of the gate and was able to sell their property for cash within just nine days of listing it.
These results speak for themselves. The client may have paid just a little bit more for our guidance, but they more than made up for our commission fee by the time they reached closing.
When you work with a traditional agent, they will oversee your success at every step of the process. Traditional agents go above and beyond for their clients’ success by utilizing resources beyond the bare-minimum marketing plan they might find elsewhere. This means leveraging professional photography, social media marketing campaigns, and many other resources.
Not only do discount brokerages fail to offer such tools, they also tend to employ less experienced agents. And, of course, you need someone with experience in order to get the best deal for your home. This kind of experience is most commonly found at traditional brokerages, where agents are well-versed in negotiation and marketing techniques, among other things.
Traditional brokerages also offer more personalized service. You can be sure that by hiring a discount brokerage, you won’t be treated like an individual. Agents at traditional brokerages, meanwhile, recognize that your unique circumstances require them to develop an equally unique home selling strategy.
With all of these points in mind, the choice is in your hands. While there is a market for discount brokerages, we always recommend you at least consider working with a traditional brokerage instead. When you see the effect it has on your bottom line, you’ll know you made the right decision.
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me or my team a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
